Florida's highest court on Friday cleared the way for lawmakers to expand gambling anywhere in the state, whether by putting slot machines in more counties or allowing destination casinos in South Florida.

The Florida Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by South Florida pari-mutuels that tried to strip Hialeah Racetrack of the ability to offer slot machines, and also to restrict the Florida Legislature's power to authorize more gambling.

The court simply let an October ruling by the 1st District Court of Appeal stand. In October, the three-judge panel of the appeals court wrote that the "Legislature has broad discretion in regulating and controlling pari-mutuel wager and gambling under its police powers."

That ruling meant victory for not only Hialeah Racetrack, but also for other gambling establishments or interests around the state that want to persuade the Legislature that they too should have slot machines or be allowed to build bigger, Las Vegas-style casinos.

"I'm gratified that our position was upheld, and I'm certainly relieved of the uncertainty that it caused," Hialeah President John Brunetti said. "And I just hope the industry can be more cooperative as we go forward. This constantly battling among ourselves isn't proving to be to anyone's benefit."

Added Marc Dunbar, a Tallahassee attorney who represented one of the groups in the case: "It's no real surprise that they [the justices] decided to do this. It affirms that the Legislature controls the decision to expand or contract gaming in the state."

What it will mean for the future of gambling in Florida is still unclear.

Several counties have held referendums to authorize slots in their respective areas. However, Attorney General Pam Bondi in January told the Department of Business and Professional Regulation that it had no right to issue slot machine permits outside of South Florida, unless there is legislative action first.

The DBPR sought the opinion after it allowed the North Florida city of Gretna to operate barrel racing as a legitimate pari-mutuel sport and the Gadsden County Commission used the permit to schedule and approve a local referendum to authorize slot machines. About five other Florida counties either have approved referendums or have them on the ballot for this fall, including Palm Beach County.

But DBPR Secretary Ken Lawson has said he intends to follow Bondi's guidance and not issue any permits to allow slot machines in new locales unless there is legislative action first.

The court's decision could also be helpful to backers of the destination casino effort who are likely to continue lobbying lawmakers to approve bringing the glitzy establishments to Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

The high court's ruling would let lawmakers approve destination casinos for anywhere in the state without asking the voters first. In a measure proposed in Tallahassee this past spring, bill sponsors had included a local referendum on whether to allow destination resorts for the two counties as part of the proposal. Backers of the destination casino concept may go to the voters anyway, simultaneously pursuing legislation.

The destination casino bill died in a House committee before the full Legislature got to vote on it.

"Florida voters have overwhelmingly rejected casino gambling in three separate statewide votes," said No Casinos President John Sowinski. "Perhaps it is time for a constitutional amendment to ensure that voters will continue to have the final say on whether they want more crime, more addiction, and higher social costs for taxpayers."

For now though, Hialeah is the immediate winner.

The track was not covered by the statewide amendment in 2004 that allowed slot referendums in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, but lawmakers later voted to allow slots at the facility as part of a larger legislative package that included a gambling compact with the Seminole Tribe.

Other South Florida tracks where slot machines had been permitted under the amendment and referendum went to court arguing that because Hialaeh wasn't part of that arrangement, the racetrack had no right to install slot machines.

The upshot of the Florida Supreme Court decision was that state lawmakers may authorize gambling wherever they choose.

Brunetti has said all along that the language in the amendment confused voters near Hialeah, who thought it was included in the initiative. Other pari-mutuel owners say he was asked to be part of the pro-gambling campaign but declined, which he disputes.

Hialeah's plan is to open in March 2013 with 950 slots and 30 poker tables. There had been plans to start a poker room this spring, but that's been scrapped.